The Valkyrie Song

8

Outside, afterwards, Fabel, Vestergaard and van Heiden sat together in the back of a police bus with blacked-out windows. It was an oasis of quiet while outside a maelstrom of police, forensics and press swirled around them.

‘Are you okay?’ Fabel asked them both, but his question was aimed more at van Heiden who sat grim-faced, his elbows resting on his knees and his gaze fixed at some spot on the floor of the bus.

‘Why do I get the feeling that we’ve just participated in an assisted suicide?’ asked van Heiden.

‘We did what we had to do,’ said Vestergaard. ‘We would have been next.’

‘I guess that ties up the Valkyrie case,’ said van Heiden to Fabel.

‘Yes, I suppose it does,’ said Fabel. ‘Other than nailing the person who instigated and paid for all of this mayhem. Gina Bronsted.’

‘But…?’ Vestergaard read the doubt in Fabel’s face.

‘Anke Wollner killed Halvorsen in Norway, probably Vuja i c in Copenhagen, Westland, Lensch, Claasens and Sparwald here in Hamburg. I know why and for whom she killed.’ Fabel frowned. ‘But we still don’t know who the original Angel of St Pauli was. It doesn’t make sense that it was Wollner. And, as I know only too well from the house call she made on me, there’s a third Valkyrie out there. Liane Kayser.’

‘Who is clearly leading a normal life and has nothing to do with all this,’ said van Heiden.

‘Maybe so… but she made it very clear to me that she is more than willing to kill to protect that life.’ Fabel shrugged and stood up. ‘Anyway, I have a hospital visit to make.’

‘Anna Wolff?’ asked van Heiden.

‘Anna Wolff,’ said Fabel. ‘I need to talk to her about her future.’